How can you train your sales team to choose the right leads that bring in money and not waste the company’s time? This is where the power of AI tools lies. 

To show us how, I've invited Chris Brisson, a sales automation expert, to chat with me in this episode. He shares innovative strategies to streamline lead engagement, boost response rates, and fill your sales team’s calendar with more qualified prospects.

Meet Chris Brisson

· Chris Brisson is the founder of Sales Message and Call Loop, two innovative platforms that help businesses supercharge their communication and sales processes. 

· He is recognized for his forward-thinking approach in leveraging SMS messaging and artificial intelligence to automate the “messy middle” of sales, freeing sales reps to focus on building relationships and closing deals. 

· His solutions have been game changers for organizations of all sizes, transforming the way they connect with prospects and customers.

The Lead Qualification Challenge

· Sometimes the problem isn’t finding leads, it’s having too many unqualified leads that bog down valuable selling time. 

· Chris shares how, when agents start using AI-powered SMS to automate lead qualification, it frees your reps to focus on conversations that move the deal through the pipeline.

Why SMS Still Matters

· You might have noticed how people rarely answer calls from unknown numbers, but they’re still highly responsive to relevant, timely text messages.

· However, context is everything: texts must be invited and sent at the right moment to avoid diminishing response rates.

AI Agents: The New Sales Assistants

· Chris explains how AI-driven text message agents can instantly respond, qualify leads, answer FAQs, and book meetings—operating 24/7 for consistent engagement. 

· He details how businesses can feed these agents their unique knowledge base and continuously fine-tune their performance.

Practical Implementation Tips

· To get started, Chris recommends auditing your forms for phone number capture, ensuring compliance (10DLC), and strategically adding opt-in opportunities. 

· He reassures that AI-enhanced SMS outreach isn’t an overhaul, but an enhancement to existing workflows.

"If you don't start today, you’re going to look back in a week, in a month,  six months, or 12 months. Like man, I should have started sooner. This is the time to integrate messaging into your business, as it is how everybody is communicating, whether it’s through text or WhatsApp. All of these different messaging channels are in the pocket conversation." - Chris Brisson.

Resources

· To try out Sales Message or connect directly, visit salesmessage.com or reach Chris on LinkedIn.

· If you like more guidance with improving your sales skills, join my Sales Mastermind Class.

· Thinking about starting a podcast yourself? Learn more about Blue Mango Studios. 

Sponsorship Offers

1.    This episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot.

With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales.

2.  This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn.

Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse.

3.  This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation.

Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin.

Credits

As one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here: thesalesevangelist.com/survey. We’d love for you to join us for our next episodes by tuning in on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Stitcher, or Spotify. Audio provided by Free SFX, Soundstripe, and Bensound. Other songs used in the episodes are as follows: The Organ Grinder written by Bradley Jay Hill, performed by Bright Seed, and Produced by Brightseed and Hill.